Exhibition made tactile, barrier-free for visually impaired
It showcases extraordinary masterpieces from across the world
NEW DELHI: A nine-gallery “India and the World: A History in Nine Stories” exhibition has opened at the National Museum in Delhi, with a string of objects made tactile for the visually impaired people.
The exhibition, which stands out for the splendorous artefacts on display, marks an unprecedented collaboration between National Museum, New Delhi; the British Museum, London; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai; and some 20 private collections.
It showcases extraordinary master pieces from across the world to place Indian civilisation in a global context. Overall, there are 104 iconic works of art from the Indian sub-continent in dialogue with 124 exquisite pieces from the British Museum.
For providing multi-sensory experiences for people with sight problems, National Museum has teamed up with Access for ALL, Radio Mirchi and Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) to make tactile 18 of these prized objects, some of which are on display for the irst time in India.
Among these are an original imprint of the Indian Constitution; a Mughal painting showing Jehangir holding portrait of Virgin Mary; a metal humped bull of the Ha rap pan times; roman and chinese coins (20 cm diameter); a 3D model of charkha, and a painting of maleic planet Rahu.
Siddhant Shah, an access consultant with Access for All, said these objects were selected keeping in mind their historical signiicance and the impact they would make on a person with visual impairment.
“Thus, we have written the entire Indian Constitution in Braille as it will help the visually impaired people to read and understand its ethos….my team worked on it for three months to get the Braille imprint. Likewise, the tactile model of the ch ark ha gives them a tangible experience of Mahatma Gandhi’s ethos. We also wanted to highlight its importance on the tricolor and of self-reliance through the stories associated with it,” he explained.
All the touch objects are accompanied by an audio guide, Braille booklet and label and there are also special tiles on the loor for the smooth movement of visually impaired visitors.
“The idea is to let them be independent with the use of audio guide and tactile paths so that they can decide what they want to ‘touch, feel and know’ just like us,” he said, adding:
“Any visitor can touch these objects, not necessarily those with sight problems.” Multiple technologies are used to create tactile renditions, said Shah, a heritage architect and design consultant with UNESCO to make World Heritage sites in India disabled-friendly.